Former Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Mzembi is set to stand trial at the High Court of Zimbabwe on charges of theft of trust property involving US$2 million.
Mzembi, 61, made a brief court appearance on Friday, 18 July, where the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) was expected to confirm a trial date. However, prosecutor Lancelot Mutsokoti told the court that Mzembi must return on 6 August while investigations continue and his indictment is finalized.
The former Masvingo South Member of Parliament was arrested on 14 June, shortly after returning from seven years in South Africa. He had initially left Zimbabwe in 2018 after being granted permission to seek cancer treatment but never returned to face prosecution.
The charges relate to television sets worth US$2 million, which were procured in 2010 for FIFA World Cup public viewing fan parks during his time as Minister of Tourism and Hospitality. Mzembi is accused of illegally donating the equipment to Emmanuel Makandiwa’s United Family International Church (UFIC) in Chitungwiza.
The case, which dates back more than a decade, resurfaced following his controversial reappearance on the political scene after years in exile.
